What Came After by Sam Winston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ever since reading Stephen King's The Stand I've been a fan of post-apocalyptic stories. This book reminded me more of Robert R. McCammon Swan Song, it was nuclear war that cause the post-apocalyptic fall out not some supernatural entity or some strange disease. I think Sam Winston really paints a dark and terrifying portrait of where we're going. Scary and uplifting at the same time.
What makes his book unique is the source of the trouble is all too real, making this a stunning and provocative expication of what might yet come to pass. He had even added in the down fall of our economy as what I see as a starting point, it's disheartening to look at ourselves in this light. I think everyone should read this book and take this journey with Weller and his daughter to find redemption amidst the ruin. This could be exactly where we are headed as a mass consumption nation that wallows in our gross negligence. I can only hope that this book will lend some insight, and appreciation for what we have as species. Possibly we can find a resolution and try to put a stop to this before there's no way back.


Sam Winston has a beautiful writing style, which might sound odd since he's writing about such a brutal and ugly topic. I Highly recommend this book it's an unforgettable read. This will possibly cause thought provoking conversation, and compelling arguments. His writing by it's self is thought provoking and engaging. You won't be able to put it down once you've started, you will probably stay up late just to finish this book in one sitting.

I received this book as a free book from Goodreads. I plan on convincing my friends to read it as soon as possible to I have someone to discuss it with.



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Helpless by Daniel Palmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found myself interested in this story right from the start. There is something scary and compelling about reading a story that can believably take place.
The dynamics of the father, daughter relationship was very believable based on a split home where one parent is trying to pit the child against the other parent. Having the main character struggle to build a relationship with his daughter, while also trying to prove his innocence really helped make this story more believable.
The story itself was interesting and kept me reading until the end. The author touches on some topics that I believe parents are already trying to get a handle on in this day and age. This book really brings into focus just how damaging the internet can be and how eternal the information is that you find online. He brings up the topic of sexting among teenagers. Many of the things from this book are already taking place in our society and should be addressed by parents. If you add in the cop with a grudge who is so blinded by the past that he wants to blame Tom for everything that is happening in his town. Tom doesn't stand a chance at clearing his name alone, so he calls in for help from a friend who works for the FBI. None of his so called friends believe that he's innocent, and there sure not willing to help him clear his name. This makes it difficult to tell who the real bad guys are.
Overall I enjoyed the small town politics, and the story line of Helpless. I recieved this book for free from Goodreads.

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Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I haven't read any books by this author before, I was lucky enough to win this book from Goodreads. I'm glad I got a chance to read this wonderful book which is the first in its series. I would whole heartily recommend this author to anyone that loves a good romance with a HEA ending. I enjoyed the way Lisa Kleypas created real and relatable characters, with a compelling back-story that makes them shine. Her characters are shaped by their experiences, and as a result we get multidimensional characters that inevitably captivate you with their story and drama.
I was surprised to find a magical element thrown in and was pleased that the author would use something so unexpected. I enjoyed the elements of magic she flawlessly added to the story. This lent a touch of whimsy to this otherwise normal drama. The combination of very real human emotions, and family betrayals, made this an engrossing and compelling story. This is a fabulous read, I would highly recommend it to romance readers or even paranormal romance readers.

View all my reviews Perfect on Paper by Janet Goss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book tells the story of Dana Mayo, an artist with a love for crossword puzzles. Dana has never been able to let go of her first love, Ray, a married man she was dating after she graduated from college. Now, 20 years later, Dana has begun dating Hank. To complicate matters, Dana has begun a flirtation with a 25 year old crossword puzzle writer named Billy, who she has an instant connection to. Through out the book Dana is trying to decide what to do with her messy love life. She gets into some comical situations, backed by a charming supporting cast of characters. Its fun to follow Dana while she puzzles her way through her romances and eccentric job. I would recommend this book to readers who like their romance novels with a side of comedy.

I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway

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Point, Click, Love by Molly Shapiro
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I won this book off of Goodreads. I was actually looking forward to this some what new age romance where it describes people using the internet to connect and find love. I wasn't totally disappointed, not being a fan of sex and the city I just didn't really connect to the characters in this book. I think this story might have been better if she hadn't tried to connect the women as friends at all, if I hadn't read the back of the book I wouldn't have known until halfway through that they were suppose to be friends.
Alot of the story just left me feeling depressed for no real reason. I Didn't care about characters & their self-inflicted problems. It wasn't very original and it was full of man-bashing.

The dialogue was choppy in some parts, and rushed in others, it felt like it was dragging the plot forward too quickly for Claudia's story. And Annie's story, one of the most interesting, gallops to a finish. Ultimately, each of these stories end quickly, I would have liked to have them fleshed out more, This might have actually fixed the story for me if her characters just felt a little more alive.

View all my reviews The Man Who Planted Trees: Lost Groves, Champion Trees, and an Urgent Plan to Save the Planet by Jim Robbins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book has a really important message, I for one would have gotten in less pages than they did in this book. The first part of the book is a little dry as we read about the trees and how Mr. Milarch finds them and some of the people he meets on the way. Environmentalists and arborists would really enjoy this section.

The middle part seems to me to be more about the spirituality of trees. It talks about how different cultures have different views about the spirits of trees and their cosmic purpose. For those who believe in spirituality and the lifeforce of nature, this would be the section of the book they would enjoy.

The last part tries to pull the whole book together and really push home why trees need saving and what we can do to help in the process.

This book definitely has a specific audience that it is targeting, and all I could think was is this printed on recycled paper??

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Treading Water on Ripple Creek Farm: Lily by Beulah S. Coyne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a historical fiction story, of what it was like to live on a farm during the 1940s. This book paint a vivid picture and draws each reader into their own memories childhood. Having not been born in the 1940's this book reminded me of playing outside all day making rock forts and only watching television on the weekends. It made me miss the days when children spent all day outside if the weather permitted instead of in front of a television or computer.
Coyne's vivid descriptions of daily life on Ripple Creek Farm make it easier to immerse yourself in this book. She describes everything in detail from the food they ate, chores they did, to the way they worshiped. This book is a wonderful reminder of days gone by. I would recommend it to anyone who loves history.
I won this book in a contest from Goodreads.

View all my reviews Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having been raised in a strict Seventh Day Adventist household, I wasn't excited to read about another religion that oppresses its members. I did enjoy Deborah's writing style but found myself irritated at the way women were treated. So to say I enjoyed this book would be a lie. I did however think she painted a rather revealing picture of what life is like bound into a religion that you didn't pick for yourself.
I won this book from a contest on Goodreads.

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Life Safari by John P. Strelecky
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this as a free book from Goodreads. This is an interesting story about Africa. The main character is a 22 year old that sometimes comes across as naive or just younger than his 22 years I thought this was a children's book and I still think with all the information that it provides and the pictures that are in the back of the book that it would make a great early reader for a child that already knows how to read.

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The Vanishers: A Novel by Heidi Julavits
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was given to me by Goodreads for an honest review.
I found this book and it's main character to be odd, antagonistic, and whiny. Some of this book seemed like unfinished thoughts and I had a hard time following these fragmented situations and plot lines.
The books main character Julia Severn starts out attending a college or workshops that promote psychic learning. She gets ill not long after accepting a job with her mentor and idol Madame Ackermann. Julia comes to the conclusion that she is being psychically attacked by Madame Ackermann, she takes measures to protect herself from this. I found this character to be gullible, and almost child like in her interactions with other people. Willingly taking what people tell her at face value and not checking it out herself.
Julia isn't a very likable character by the time I got halfway through the book I despised her, she is petty and weak. With a tendency to blame her own inadequacies on other people.

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